You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.
Alan Alda
Posts
Panasonic, Cutting Costs, Halves Digital Camera Assortment
The Nikkei reported this week that Panasonic Corp. will only introduce about five new digital camera models next year – half its normal number – in a bid to take all steps necessary to return to profitability. While once a bright spot for the company which saw success for some of its higher end Lumix models – the report says that the category has come under intense pressure as smartphone cameras continue to improve.
See more on Panasonic’s decision to cut back on the number of cameras it will offer in 2014… [Read more…] about Panasonic, Cutting Costs, Halves Digital Camera Assortment
The Picture of Its Future is Still a Little Fuzzy at Loewe AG
German luxury TV manufacturer Loewe AG said today that it is in final stages of discussions with two different potential investors or buyers. The company, once the source of hopes by U.S. specialty A/V dealers for a more profitable step-up video line, has yet to emerge from the bankruptcy protection it invoked earlier this year.
See more on this worldwide luxury television manufacturer who is struggling to survive… [Read more…] about The Picture of Its Future is Still a Little Fuzzy at Loewe AG
Energy Squad Says Dealers Found ‘LED Diet’ Training Quite Fulfilling
Energy Squad, LLC, a distributor exclusively focused on offering energy-efficient or “green” technology products nationally, announced today that earlier this month it had completed its first round of dealer training on their “LED Diet” program – a solution first announced at this past CEDIA Expo. For this first 2½-day intensive training, the company brought in dealers from all across the United States who were interested in learning how Energy Squad’s LED Diet program could help make their customer’s energy usage lean – while making their integrators’ profits fat.
See more on how Energy Squad customers are putting their clients on an LED Diet… [Read more…] about Energy Squad Says Dealers Found ‘LED Diet’ Training Quite Fulfilling
Easy Access Distribution Says 14th Annual Dealer Event a Huge Success
Easy Access Distributing announced last week that their dealer event held last month, called the Emerging Technologies & Home Awareness Expo was a huge success. Held at the Courtyard by Marriott in Billerica, Massachusetts, the company said the event drew an attendance of 170 area integrators over two days.
See more about this large area event… [Read more…] about Easy Access Distribution Says 14th Annual Dealer Event a Huge Success
Thought for the Week – November 18, 2013
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some hire public relations officers.
Daniel J. Boorstin
In Wake of Poor Results, JVC Kenwood Announces Major Cuts to Staff & Compensation
Just days after the JVC Kenwood Corp. announced their dismal fiscal first-half results and revealed dramatic revisions to their full-year forecast – including the surprising news that they would lose money this year – the company released a statement saying they would attack their performance shortcomings aggressively. A series of actions were outlined designed to mitigate the company’s projected loss…but they couldn’t say for sure at this time if these actions will have a material effect on the remaining fiscal period’s performance.
See the steps JVC Kenwood’s board of directors outlined to minimize their losses… [Read more…] about In Wake of Poor Results, JVC Kenwood Announces Major Cuts to Staff & Compensation
Nortek Q3 Results: The Road to Success Remains Really, Really Bumpy
On Thursday last week, Nortek, Inc. released the financial results for its third quarter (ending September 28, 2013) as well as their nine-month YTD results – and on the following Friday convened a conference call with analysts to discuss them. While management put a positive spin on these results, one didn’t have to look very hard to see some glaring bumps Nortek is experiencing on their challenging road to success through restructuring and reorganization.
You can almost hear it in Michael J. Clarke’s voice when he said: “Nortek’s net sales and underlying operating performance for the third quarter were consistent with our expectations.” Not exactly the rousing proclamation of success we typically hear on their conference call for industry analysts.
What are the “bumps” Nortek’s hitting on the road to success?… [Read more…] about Nortek Q3 Results: The Road to Success Remains Really, Really Bumpy
NuVo Launches Driver to Integrate Their Wireless Audio System into AMX Automation Systems
Nuvo Technologies announced today that it has released an AMX-certified driver to integrate their Wireless Audio System into AMX automation systems. According to the company, the driver is available to be downloaded on the AMX dealer website now. [Read more…] about NuVo Launches Driver to Integrate Their Wireless Audio System into AMX Automation Systems
Wren Sound Systems – This Bird’s Ready to Fly
Government data makes a strong case for a sustainable recovery under way – but most people in the consumer electronics industry tell me that this recovery is, at best, mediocre and, at worst, not happening. And as challenging as most are finding the economy, start-up companies tell me the headwinds are more like those of a Category 1 hurricane as they try to launch new products and services – hoping to get traction – in a very hostile start-up environment.
But one new start-up that has caught our attention – Wren Sound Systems – seems to be gaining ground with its new wireless speaker system…a product we find unique and interesting.
